Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-01-13
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JOS LUCK.

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JOS LUCK.
! 1t Came to Him in the Shape of a Great
Railroad WashOut.
! Odd We hear bout the cyclone?
| Scarcely shanty left standing down
| in MorvilIe. People killed, an them
who amt killed fairly cleaned out. The
wind 5 JUS broke up every thing, an
left them poor as Jobs turkey" The
speaker was long-haired, cadaverous
looking Individual, who spit tobacco
Juice a bout freely as he delivered HIM
self of the foregoing statement. A mot
ley group had gathered around the
huge stove, for although a raw wind
was blowing outside, the store door
was left Hospitality open to entice GUS
toners.
Eyes, hard lines replied the court
eous proprietor; land the cyclone came
within five miles of us, twill be our
turn next. Contributions will be taken
in all the churches tomorrow for the
sufferers
"Wall, people ought to perfect their
selves" continued the first speaker.
"Now I've dug big hole in the groun'.
sort of o vault like, ye know, an L tell
my folks if worst comes to the worst,
we can jus pile in there"
80 you have prepared a city of
refuge; a good idea" was the reply;
''yet we may escape, although this part
of the South seems to be the section
Just now chosen for such operations.
Better all go home an dig holes in
the groun'," was the countryman's adj
vice as he stalked out of the store.
Among the interested listeners was
10, little colored boy. He had battled
with storms, and knew by actual ex-
perience that a high wind was not
force to be despised. ''Let the siklone
come,' he chuckled, Us prepared.
'Tain't cherry un dat owns a gran I'M
dergroun' state. Take a mighty high
wind to upset my pallis. 1 can lay
dere as snug as a top, with never fear
dat my roof will sail off ODER my head.
Lor! but don't the wind blow. I |
b'lieve siklone's comm sure nuff!'
The wind continued to blow. gaining |
in force as the day waned, and by night
the rain fell in torrents. The streets
were nearly deserted, with here and
there traveller who struggled YEARLY |
against the storm. Notwithstanding
JOS high opinion of the good points of
his establishment, hungry and cold he
still wandered restlessly about, loath
to take possession of his snug quarters.
"It's bad luck I've had to-day" he
said; eyes, COMPOUNDED bad luck! [
dat nickel, he's a po' trifin' chap. An
Mr. Curtis, pears like he thinks Is
rich, reckon he knows | live in pallis"
and 10 laughed bitterly. ''No mat
ter" he continued more cheerfully,
"'tain't the first time I've turned in
And 50, footsore, and with
a very faint feeling in the region of the
the forlorn little figure
trudged bravely on in the darkness to-
ward his cave-like berth on the side of c
hill not far from the railroad. Here 10
had taken possession of small natural
cavern. and set up housekeeping. His
household goods consisted of a few
pieces of broken crockery, and u frag-
ment of a quilt Mighty good of
Dinah to give me this ere, - soliloquized
10, as he wrapped the old quilt closely
about him; '.reckon I'll pay her call
in the mornin', bite of her cold vittles
would go right good. | wonder if it's
warm up dere where mother went No
night, no hunger, no cold, shouldn't
min trying it my own SELF But poor
JOS troubles We're soon forgotten in
dreamless sleep.
He awoke toward morning in speech
less terror 1t seemed as if the earth
him was shaken, there was
A sound as if a heavy body had fallen,
hen all was silence. "Was it the
siklone?" he thought Gradually he
gathered courage and his scattered
wits. ''I'll go out and 'vestigate," he
said. although shaking with fear. I
"Jerushyr' he cried. The frequent
md violent rains had taken effect.
Looking down toward the railroad
rack, he saw, in the dim light, that a
portion of the embankment underneath
t had given away "Jerushy!' he re-
oeated, "a wash out, an it's mos time
or the early train" As he slept in his
clothes, he could dispense with the
title ceremony of dressing, and with
10 thought of the pelting storm, he
'ushed breathless and. headlong to the
tatiou- The official there could scarce
y credit JOS words, but was forced to
believe the evidences of his own senses,
md the train was signaled and stopped
IRE it reached the fatal break. The '
yashout created as profound sensation
n the little town, and the narrow es- {
ape of the train was a nine days
wonder. !
When Monday morning came, the
usual number CT loafers We're gathered
,bout the stove in the corner grocery,
md our friend, the lank countryman,
vas engaged in his fayorite occupation
II splitting tobacco juice, while he kept
Il A. |